


When in Nestra...

by Mosspool13



Series: Leokumi Week [5]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright Spoilers, Fluff, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Post-Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 01:48:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6833863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mosspool13/pseuds/Mosspool13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he’d gotten to the restroom and found the mirror, he stared at his flushed face and wide eyes. His body zinged and he felt hot to the touch. He groaned, pressing his forehead against the sink. “I’m an idiot.” He muttered. </p>
<p>
  <em>Leo invites Takumi to a performance in Nestra, and Takumi wants so badly for it to mean more than it appears.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	When in Nestra...

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5: Adamant/ Delicate

Leo’s fingers are delicate, his wrists pale and smooth and small, and when he flicks his hand Takumi hides the thrum of desire that coils in his belly by biting his lip and looking away. 

Leo pushes the papers in his hand across the table for Takumi to see. “Those are the new trade agreements.” He taps some words on the page and Takumi is distracted by Leo’s pale, slim finger, “This line here will need to be assessed by King Ryoma, and if he has any need for other changes you can send these back with the appropriate markings of where I need to make adjustments.” 

“Of course.” Takumi slides the paper out from underneath Leo’s hand, making sure not to let their fingers touch. He doesn’t know what he’d do if that happens. 

Leo crosses his legs, his robes brush the floor as he does and he scrutinizes Takumi with narrowed eyes. “How long will you be staying this time?” 

Takumi looks up from studying Leo’s ankles and blinks. “Two days. I’m visiting some of the neutral territories when I leave Nohr. I’ll be stopping in Mokushu first.” 

Leo hums, fingers tapping at the jut of his chin absently. Takumi’s eyes linger on the knuckles of Leo’s hand, pale and unblemished, smooth. They are unlike Hinata’s hands, which are bruises and rough from constant use, or even Takumi’s which are scarred from one too many mistakes stringing his bow in his younger years. Takumi feels a little creepy watching Leo the way he does, but Leo is beautiful, and Takumi can’t help but look because he knows he can’t touch. 

“This evening,” Leo speaks up, gaze latching onto Takumi’s. “Come with me.” 

Takumi swallows. “What?” 

Leo stands from his chair and gathers his robes. His crown doesn’t move when he turns his head and starts to leave the room. He glances briefly over his shoulder to make sure Takumi is still with him when he answers, “There’s a performance in Nestra. I want to take you to see it.” 

“I-I,” Takumi coughs and regains his composure, “okay.”

Leo nods and leaves and Takumi swears. When he’d first taken up his duties as ambassador for Hoshido, he’d been passive-aggressive in his dealings with the new king of Nohr. During the war, he and Leo hadn’t gotten along, even after Leo had decided to remain neutral after his attack on the Hoshidan army. When they went over trade agreements between the two kingdoms, in the beginning things were rough and they butted heads. Takumi wouldn’t budge on certain aspects of the trade agreements, while Leo would push for angles that Takumi knew he and Hoshido would not be comfortable with. 

Takumi had nearly quit his job after a row had left the two of them nearly at blows. But Leo, _the coward_ Takumi had thought at the time, had swept up his robes and stomped from the room. It was the only time Takumi had ever seen him stomp anywhere, he tended to glide. It’d sent a thrill of victory up Takumi’s spine at the idea that he could make the cold King of Nohr storm from a room like a child. 

Of course, Takumi hadn’t been much better, most of the time it’d been _him_ who’d crashed his way out of rooms and slammed doors, but he pretends that it was all just a matter of dramatics. 

But it’d been that day, with Leo’s retreat from their conversation—a first—that had changed their relationship. 

Still riding his high of getting Leo to act emotional, Takumi had found his way to the Nohrian library. Since becoming ambassador, he’d been allowed access to wings of Castle Krakenburg while he and Leo discussed trade agreements. Takumi found the Nohrian castle library to be lacking in some areas, but largely superior in most others. He won’t admit it to Leo, but the Hoshidan library in his castle back home doesn’t nearly have as many books. 

Takumi wondered to his favorite section of the library, fingers trailing across spines as he read titles and decided upon one he’d want to read, when he heard a sound that had him pausing in disbelief. It sounded like someone was muffling a cry, and Takumi knew a thing or two about muffling crying. 

Takumi peered around the corner of the shelf he’d been perusing and caught sight of familiar blonde hair. Leo was no longer wearing his robes or his crown. He had on a white shirt and trousers, with one leg propped up against his chest and his face pressed against the side of his knee. His fingers were clutched into the leather of his pants, tightly flexing and Takumi realized suddenly that Leo was _crying._

He’s never seen Leo cry before. Not even when the Hoshidan’s had attended Princess Elise and Prince Xander’s funeral. Leo and, before Camilla had left, Camilla had invited the Hoshidan royals as a measure of peaceful relations. They more specifically had invited Corrin, but they hadn’t said anything when the entire Hoshidan family had shown up as well. Leo had looked pale but otherwise calm, his face expressionless and alien in a way Takumi had recognized him wearing during his coronation ceremony. 

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Takumi had bit out at the time. He’d been angry and bitter about the fact that he’d been expected to come and pay respects to Prince Xander and Princess Elise when the Nohrians hadn’t bothered to show for Queen Mikoto’s funeral. 

Leo hadn’t risen to Takumi’s antagonism. Instead, he’d merely nodded and let Takumi go. 

Takumi had been angry he hadn’t been able to get a rise out of Leo then, but now, with him huddled up in his chair the way he is now, hiding his tears in his clothes, Takumi wonders if perhaps it’d been better if Leo had cried at the funeral after all. 

Takumi approached Leo hesitantly. He felt a bit guilty. Was it his fault that he’d gotten Leo to cry over their fight? _If so, that’s a little pathetic,_ he can’t help but think, but he sobers quickly. Leo hadn’t reacted like this to any of his other sharp comments, so this must be something else. 

When Takumi gets close enough, he can hear that Leo is mumbling something to himself in between his shuddery exhales. 

“I can’t do this.” Leo chokes out. “I’m not good enough. I’m not like you, big brother, I can’t be the King you would have been.” 

Takumi falters a little in his step and, because curse his clumsiness, he knocks his hip against the table. Leo’s head shoots up and Takumi can see his eyes are rimmed red and there are faint tear streaks on his cheeks. 

Leo’s expression morphs from surprise to shock to embarrassment and then finally settles on anger. He rises up from his slouch, trying to salvage what little dignity he has left, and glares straight into Takumi’s face. “What are you doing here?” 

Takumi backpedals, because what was he thinking? Had he really been intending to comfort Leo of all people? “Sorry, I was looking at books and I heard you--” he cuts himself off and tries to look apologetic rather than pitying.

Leo growls at him. “Leave.” He commands and Takumi nearly scrambles to obey but then he pauses.

If it’d been him in this position, he’d be feeling horrifically shame-faced, but he’d also be so deep in his sorrow that he’d want at least someone there to keep him company. So Takumi does the craziest thing he’s ever done. He stays. 

Takumi squares his shoulders. “No.”

Leo looks furious. “No?” 

Takumi swallows and nods, making sure he doesn’t look scared. He’s never seen Leo look so angry before, usually he just looks cold or triumphant or like a bastard, but anger had been an emotion Takumi portrayed with scowls, glares and snarls. Leo portrayed anger with cold looks and icy venom. 

It goes to show how grief can make a person react in out of character ways. 

“I heard what you said, about your brother.” Leo’s eyes narrow and Takumi holds his gaze because if he doesn’t he knows that he’ll be doing more harm than good. “And I think you’re wrong.” 

“What gives you the right—” Leo begins but Takumi cuts him off. 

“You’ve done a lot of good since you took the throne. You’ve managed to gain the support of most of your citizens, and you’ve kept promises with all the people you gave your word to. Sure,” and here Takumi shrugs. “Maybe your brother might have done things better, or faster, but what _you’ve_ done is incredible for so short a time.” Takumi begrudgingly adds. “I know if I were in your place I’d not have done nearly as decently.” 

Leo has stopped looking like he wants to murder Takumi and instead just looks tired. He rubs his eyes with the back of his wrist and then glances at Takumi from over his arm. 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

Takumi bites his lip. “I get scared too.” He admits, looking down so he doesn’t have to look into Leo’s eyes as he continues. “After mother…” he still can’t think about it without tearing up a little bit, so he rubs his palms roughly against his eyes and continues from behind his hands, “When she died, I realized how alone I was. She’d been protecting me for so long. Without her, I realized everything I was afraid of was going to come true.”

“What about your siblings? They were with you.” Leo points out.

Takumi laughs a little too bitterly. “I can’t match up to Ryoma or Hinoka. They’re stronger than I can ever be, and even Sakura has her place. She’s kind and the people look up to her. I’m just… weak and useless.” 

When Takumi removes his hands from his face he can see Leo frowning at him. He smiles to ease his emotional baggage. “That’s how that Nohrian mage managed to possess me, you know. I was too weak to fight him.” 

Leo’s frown deepens. “You mean Iago?”

Takumi shakes his head dismissively. “Whatever his name is, he took all of my insecurities and heightened them and I was too disgusted with myself to fight him off. I endangered my siblings, my country, because I was too weak to fight off his hold over my mind.” 

“But you did.” 

Takumi looks up in surprise at Leo, who’d risen from his chair and was now standing in front of him. Leo’s eyes were still red from his earlier crying and his eyelashes were wet, but his eyes were earnest as he said, “I was there. I saw you beat back Iago’s hold over you through your desire to protect Corrin and your family. You _were_ strong enough to beat him.” 

Leo moved his hand and it hovered hesitantly over Takumi’s shoulder, as if he didn’t know if his touch would be wanted or not. Takumi gave a short nod of assent and Leo’s warm palm landed on him, squeezing gently before Leo pulled away. 

Takumi watched Leo turn back to the chair he’d been sitting in. On the table was a checkered set of some kind with wooden figurines. Leo picked up one that looked like a horse and examined it. He turned to face Takumi and nodded towards the table. “Do you know how to play chess?”

Takumi shook his head. “No.”

Leo raised his eyebrows. “Do you want to learn how?” 

“You’d want to teach me?” 

Leo shrugged with one shoulder. He made it look elegant and Takumi swallowed down his jealousy. “If you are willing to learn.”

Takumi eyed the “chess” on the table for a moment longer before he gave a hesitant nod. “Okay. It doesn’t look too hard.” 

Leo’s mouth quirked up on one side. “You’d be surprised.” 

Leo took his seat and Takumi sat down in the one opposite him. Leo put the horse piece he’d been holding back on one of the squares. He stared down at the pieces for a moment before he lifted his head and met Takumi’s gaze. “Thank you.” He whispered, so low Takumi almost didn’t hear him.

Takumi shook his head with a small smile. “It felt good to let out some of my grievances too, so let’s call it even.” 

Leo chuckled, low and deep and it made Takumi look up in surprise. He’d never heard Leo laugh like that. Sure, Leo’s laughed mockingly, or huffed once or twice, but he’d never _chuckled_ before. Takumi flushed when Leo’s eyes landed on him and Leo smiled slow and small. 

It’d been that moment, right there, that Takumi had realized he could be friends with Leo of Nohr. Leo must have felt the same, for their following correspondences were friendlier and usually ended with chess matches. Leo always won, to Takumi’s chagrin, but Takumi managed to challenge and convince Leo to battle him at shogi the next time he visited Hoshido. 

Over the course of Takumi’s continued visits, their relationship softened and warmed up until Takumi began looking forward to his visits to Nohr. But, of course, Takumi couldn’t keep things _simple_ between them. He just always had to go and muck up a good thing. 

He’d been staying in Nohr for a longer time than usual, three weeks, in fact. Usually he stayed for a few days and then moved on to another kingdom, or returned to Hoshido, but an unexpected storm arrived and delayed his return. Leo had insisted he stay until the storm blew over. Takumi had been more than happy to agree. 

It had been during this stay that Takumi realized he’d ruined everything. 

They’d been playing chess, again, and Leo had won, again, although Takumi had survived a bit longer than usual. Takumi had crowed in excitement when he’d managed to take Leo’s queen, a first for him in all their games so far, and Leo had laughed at Takumi’s triumphant exclamations. 

“You’re acting like you’ve won.” 

“I got your strongest piece! That doubles my chances of success!” Takumi refuted, buzzing with energy at the thought that he might actually beat Leo for once. 

Leo had rolled his eyes but his mouth was quirked in amusement. “Perhaps. Or it’ll blindside you to my method of attack.” He moved his bishop and then sat back, arms folded and looking distinctly smug, “Checkmate.” 

Takumi stared at the board, then at Leo, then back at the board. “No way. How did you--”

“You were so focused on getting my queen, you left yourself wide open.” Leo’s smile was wolfish as he grabbed up Takumi’s king piece and thumbed it. He glanced at Takumi from under his lashes. “You’re mine.” 

At Leo’s words, Takumi felt a rush of hot _something_ slither up his spine. Takumi choked, realized he was blushing, and quickly retreated to “go to the restroom.” Leo had laughed and said, “going to cool down from my amazing victory?” and Takumi had thought, _something like that…_

When he’d gotten to the restroom and found the mirror, he stared at his flushed face and wide eyes. His body zinged and he felt hot to the touch. He groaned, pressing his forehead against the sink. “I’m an idiot.” He muttered. 

Now that he was aware of his… feelings… Takumi found looking at Leo to be horribly distracting. Everything Leo did was distracting, from the way he moved to the way he ate to the way he talked, and Takumi found himself zoning out imagining what it would be like to run his fingers through Leo’s silky hair, or to press up against Leo chest-to-chest. 

It became very hard not to fantasize about him and Leo, but even though Takumi became increasingly more and more attracted to Leo the longer they met, he also realized that he’d never be able to act on his feelings. Leo didn’t like him like that. He thought of Takumi as a friend, a good friend, he’d told Takumi once when he’d drunk a little bit too much one night over dinner and Takumi had been admiring the way alcohol had made Leo’s cheeks flush dark pink. Takumi didn’t want to destroy the friendship they’d managed to build after the former hatred they’d shared during the war. He definitely didn’t want to go back to _that_. Not ever again. 

So Takumi swallowed his feelings, and tried to curb his desires to touch, but he’d never imagined that Leo would ask him out. 

Takumi knew he was exaggerating and that Leo probably just wanted company in Nestra with his _friend_ but Takumi couldn’t help but imagine everything that could possibly go right (wrong). They’d be sitting next to each other, and Leo would lean over to speak to Takumi, and the music would be so loud he’d need to whisper in Takumi’s ear—

“What’s wrong?” Leo blinked at Takumi, a question in his eyes, as Takumi came back to reality, brushing imaginary dirt from his nice shirt. 

He’d dressed up a little fancier than usual for this. Leo was wearing a nice shirt and pants too, so he didn’t look too out of place, but Leo always dressed sharp so Takumi couldn’t tell if he was dressing up because he could, or if he was dressing up _for_ Takumi. 

“Sorry, was just wondering what performance we’d be seeing. The only one I saw was the one Azura had sung in.” At the name of his departed sister, Takumi looked away hoping he could stop any tears from falling if he didn’t want them to. 

Leo nodded, looking solemn. “Yes, I wish I’d been there to see it. Elise,” Leo paused to swallow before he continued, “she told me how beautiful Azura’s voice was. I wish I had managed to hear it once before she had died.” 

They walked in silence for a little while. Nestra was just as vibrant as Takumi remembered. The colorful lights flashed and dazzled his eyes, and the people mingled in vibrant, expensive clothing. Leo walked at Takumi’s side, their shoulders brushing every now and again and Takumi glanced up from under his bangs at Leo’s profile. Leo looked right at home along with all these beautiful people, and this beautiful city. The pink and yellow lights glanced across Leo’s face, lighting him up in ways that made Takumi’s mouth dry. 

“We’re here.” Leo said, after a while, opening the door to the theatre and ushering Takumi inside. Leo led him to seats in the balcony. Takumi hummed his approval.

“Special seats for special individuals? Like the King of Nohr?” Takumi teased, sitting down in one of the plush, red chairs. Leo took his spot beside Takumi, rolling his eyes. 

“You forget that before I was King I was a prince. I’ve sat here since the first time I came here.” 

“Oh,” was Takumi’s eloquent response, because Leo’s arm was touching his and he couldn’t quite think straight. 

The performance was lovely, or well, Takumi assumed it was because he’d spent most of it highly aware of Leo’s arm pressed up against his, and the fact that they were so close that he could smell the scent of Leo’s hair, and if he glanced up just a little as not to seem too conspicuous, he could see the side of Leo’s jaw and his pale neck, and just a pit of skin where his collarbone was, and Takumi was undone. 

If he moved his hand just a little bit, he could let their fingers touch. Would that be too obvious? Takumi was so scared. What if Leo pulled away? That would be as clear a signal as if Leo had turned, looking him in the eye and said “no”, just like that, sharp and cool and dismissive and Takumi has imagined it before and he won’t admit that it’s appeared in some of his nightmares before because that would just be pathetic. 

Takumi’s hand twitches, involuntarily, and his breath hitches when his pointer finger slips atop Leo’s. Leo’s fingers twitch and Takumi closes his eyes. This is it. Leo’s going to pull away, or _worse_ and Takumi’s eyes tightened closed because he doesn’t want to look into Leo’s eyes when Leo tells him—

Leo extracts his hand from beneath Takumi’s finger and Takumi holds his breath and then exhales in a rush when Leo’s fingers return, slipping between Takumi’s and threading together in a loose hold. Takumi’s eyes fly open and he whips his head to stare at the side of Leo’s face. Leo is looking at the stage; he doesn’t even glance in Takumi’s direction. All he does is squeeze Takumi’s hand and Takumi shivers. 

If he wasn’t paying attention to the performance before, he certainly isn’t now. Leo’s palm is warm against his and Takumi just stares at their linked hands until the light come on and the performance ends. 

Leo sighs. “That was nice.” 

“Uh, yeah, really, uh, nice.” 

Leo raises an eyebrow at Takumi but doesn’t say anything. He rises instead. “Do you want to walk around for a bit before we go back?”

“Ok.” Takumi is still looking at their clasped hands and the fact that Leo hasn’t let go of him yet. 

They exit the theater like that, still connected and Leo doesn’t say a word about it and Takumi is quietly screaming on the inside. 

The walk is nice. Leo holds something of a one-sided conversation, explaining parts of the performance Takumi might not have understood, and admiring the dancers on their talent and skill. Takumi listens and nods but he can’t quite add his own input without admitting he’d barely been watching. 

The breeze ruffles their hair. It helps cool some of the flush on Takumi’s cheeks and clear his head. It also brings him a strength he’d always been adamant he hadn’t had. Welling up inside him, the courage and anxiety fight for dominance within until finally he explodes. 

He stops, consequently forcing Leo to stop, since they are still holding hands. Leo looks surprised and confused. Takumi takes a deep breath and then blurts, “What was this?” 

Leo’s lips purse. “I asked you out.” 

“Yeah, I get that.” Takumi’s anxiety quickly festers into frustration and will quickly run into impatience and then anger if he’s not careful. “I mean,” Takumi looks pointedly at their hands. “What is this?” 

Leo follows Takumi’s gaze to their hands and then shrugs, as if it’s not a single concern of his. “I’m holding your hand, what does it look like?” 

“Now you’re just being obtuse on purpose.” Takumi bites out. Impatience has won out. “Seriously, Leo, what do you want?” 

Leo nods. “I suppose it’s fair to come out and tell you.” 

“Yes, that would be helpful.” 

“I’m courting you.” 

Takumi splutters. “C-courting? What?!” 

Leo cocks his head. “Yes. I’ve wanted to for a while but we are both very busy. There wasn’t time to ask you to a proper outing until now.” 

“I-I, what?” 

Leo looks amused. “Yes, Takumi, I’ve known you’ve liked me for a while now. I want to tell you that it’s requited.” 

“Oh.” Really, when will he be able to learn to string together coherent sentences? 

Now Leo is smirking and Takumi hates how attractive it makes him look. Takumi used to think it just made him look like a bastard, and Takumi can’t imagine what is other self was thinking because Leo _is_ a bastard, but he’s an attractive bastard. 

Leo raises their clasped hands up, turns them so Takumi’s hand is on top and presses his lips to the skin in a kiss. Takumi gapes. “Takumi,” Leo whispers against his skin and Takumi shivers. “Would you do the honor of letting me court you?” 

Takumi’s embarrassment floods into frustration, “If you know I like you do you have to ask!?” 

Leo shrugs, lips still against the back of Takumi’s hand, “True. But I want your answer even so.”

“Yes, Leo. I… you can court me.” Then Takumi roughly pulls his hand away from Leo’s lips and brings their linked hands to his own, twisting so he can press a kiss to Leo’s skin this time. “But only if you’ll allow me to court you too.” 

Leo looks surprised. He blushes and nods. “That would be acceptable.” 

Takumi nods, letting their hands fall away but still held together. “Good. There’s a lot I’ve been wanting to do with you.” 

Leo laughs. “Yes. I cannot wait for you to tell me all about it.” 

Takumi blushes. _Well, maybe I won’t tell you all of it._ Leo catches him and his smile widens and he leads the way. Takumi follows after him, watching their joined hands with a smile of his own.


End file.
